Last week Saffron took an extensive class on back & body walking massage here in San Antonio, the class was called FasciAshi Fundamentals hosted by Heeling Sole. Heeling Sole is the best in the business when it comes to various forms of back walking and we are not afraid to admit it! Heeling Sole has been on Dr. Oz’s TV program as a recognized leader in the U.S. and has been in countless health and massage magazines for their form of back & body walking. Saffron herself is an expert in Thai-Swedish massage mix and has performed back & body walking many times but decided to hone that skill set with the professionals. Her and her co-workers/employees, Olive and Erin (who attended with her) learned a great deal from them in class on Ashiatsu back & body walking massage and will continue to increase in knowledge and application.
What exactly is Ashiatsu massage? It’s basically a barefoot massage performed with the massage therapist holding on to and using overhead wooden bars to apply pressure to the client’s back or various parts of the body. The technique combines a mix of Asian style back walking from Thailand, Korea, Japan and other parts of the orient with Western relaxation and fits perfectly with our East meets West style of massage. Back & body walking massage can be applied with medium pressure but is meant to be applied as a deep tissue massage. A traditional deep tissue massage uses the method of thumbs and fingers but nothing can really beat a massage using the bare heel, toes and overall foot of the massage therapist. Using the overhead bars as leverage, the therapist applies broad deep strokes across the body with their feet. Receiving a massage of this style is great for those of us who have an active lifestyle or athletes that need that deep muscle, tissue and joint pain relief.
Who is this massage for? Remember this is better suited for people with deep tissue needs but those requiring even a little more pressure will enjoy the benefits of back and body walking. Our licensed massage professionals will monitor and ensure your desired pressure throughout your session to give you the deep pressure your body desires.
A final thought. We’ve heard some people throughout San Antonio call back walking a foot massage, and even though we are using our feet to give you a massage, it is better called back & body walking. This naming convention is also used to prevent confusion with an actual foot massage where the client is sitting in a comfortable chair or table receiving a massage of the feet only. However, we do also provide foot massages as well for those who prefer a massage of the feet only.